Process for controlling body weight

• US 6,878,885 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2003
• Issued: 04/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Weight Watchers International Incorporated (Artal Group SA)
• Original Assignee: Weight Watchers Operations France (Artal Group SA)
• Inventors: Watson, Sarah May, Way, Marian Jane, Melnyk, Mary Grace, Schmitz, Kathryn H., Forman, Adrienne, Miller-Kovach, Karen, Frye, Wanema
• Primary Examiner(s): Gibson, Randy W.
• Application Number:
  US10/682,966
• Publication Number:
  US 20040074675A1
• Time in Patent Office: 546 Days
• Field of Search: 128/921, 177/25.16, 600/300, 708/133
• US Class Current: 177/25.16
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/025 adapted to a specific application
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/60 relating to nutrition control, e.g. diets
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/921 Diet management

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a process for controlling body weight in which selection of food servings is based on a calculated point value and a range of allotted daily points which is adjusted for weight change. The calculated point value is a function of measured calories, total fat and dietary fiber for serving sizes specified in readily estimatable units. A range or maximum number of points allotted per day may be calculated based on current body weight, caloric reduction to be achieved, physical activity level, and physical activity duration.

Claims

1. System for calculating Points values for use by a person in a weight control process to produce a restricted food intake for the current weight of the person taking into account food ingested and activity level comprising:

means for determining whole number Points values, p, for food servings ingested by the person characterized by the equation $p=\frac{c}{k_1}+\frac{f}{k_2}-\frac{r}{k_3}$

where c is calories, f is fat in grams and r is dietary fiber in grams for each candidate food serving and where k₁ is about 50, k₂ is about 12 and k₃ is about 5; and

means for determining whole number activity Points, P_A, on the basis of intensity level and duration of physical exercise for addition to a number of basic Points appropriate for the current weight of the person and weight change to be achieved.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the activity Points, P_A, are whole numbers characterized by the equation $P_A=\frac{k_4\times }{}$

kg⁢

 

⁢

body⁢

 

⁢

weight×

minutes⁢

 

⁢

of⁢

 

⁢

activity100

wherein k₄ is a predetermined numerical weighting factor determined on the basis of intensity level of physical exercise.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein k₄ is between 0.05 and 0.2.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein k₄ has at least three progressively increasing values corresponding to low, moderate and high intensity physical exercise.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein k₄ is equal to about 0.05 for low intensity physical exercise, about 0.07 for moderate intensity physical exercise and about 0.18 for high intensity physical exercise.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the addition of activity Points to daily basic Points occurs when determined activity Points exceed a predetermined threshold of 1 to 3 activity Points per day.

7. An apparatus for calculating Points values for use by a person in a weight control process comprising

an electronic computing device having a memory which determines a total Points value (sum of p values) for food servings ingested during the day in which the Points value p for each food serving ingested is characterized by the equation $p=\frac{c}{k_1}+\frac{f}{k_2}-\frac{r}{k_3}$

wherein c is the number of kilocalories in the food serving;

f is the total amount of fat in the food serving;

r is the amount of dietary fiber in the food serving;

k₁, k₂ and k₃ are preselected constants;

k₂ is in the range k₁/4.5 to k₁/1.5 when f is measured in grams;

k₃ is in the range of k₁/20 to k₁/5, when r is measured in grams; and

which determines activity Points, P_A, characterized by the equation $P_A=\frac{k_4\times <br><br>\mathrm{kg}<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{body}<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{weight}\times <br><br>\mathrm{minutes}<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{of}<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>\mathrm{activity}}{100}$

where k₄ is determined on the basis of the intensity level of the physical exercise;

which upwardly modifies basic Points allotted per day for the person by a number of Points corresponding to the determined activity Points, P_A, over a predetermined threshold; and

which determines the number of Points left for the day after subtracting the sum of p values for the food servings ingested; and

means for displaying the number of Points left for the day.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein k₄ is between 0.05 and 0.2.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein k₄ is equal to about 0.05 for low intensity physical exercise, about 0.07 for moderate intensity physical exercise, and about 0.18 for high intensity physical exercise.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the predetermined threshold is 1 to 3 activity Points per day.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the memory of the computing device stores the parameters necessary to make the Points determinations.

12. In a system for determining Points for food servings ingested by a person in which the Points, p, for each food serving ingested is characterized by the equation $p=\frac{c}{k_1}+\frac{f}{k_2}-\frac{r}{k_3}$

wherein c is the number of kilocalories in the food serving;

f is the total amount of fat in the food serving;

r is the amount of dietary fiber in the food serving;

k₁, k₂ and k₃ are preselected constants;

k₂ is in the range k₁/4.5 to k₁/1.5 when f is measured in grams; and

k₃ is in the range of k₁/20 to k₁/5, when r is measured in grams;

a process for determining a number of Points remaining as an indication of the food which may be ingested by the person;

comprising;

determining the basic Points allotted based on the person'"'"'s current body weight;

determining activity Points based on the weight of the person and on the intensity level and duration of physical exercise of the person; and

adding the basic Points and activity Points and subtracting the total Points (sum of the p values) for food servings ingested by the person to determine the number of Points remaining.

13. The process of claim 12 wherein the activity Points, P_A are whole numbers characterized by the equation $P_A=\frac{k_4\times }{}$

kg⁢

 

⁢

body⁢

 

⁢

weight×

minutes⁢

 

⁢

of⁢

 

⁢

activity100

wherein k₄ is a predetermined numerical weighting factor determined on the basis of intensity level of physical exercise.

14. The process of claim 13, wherein k₄ is between 0.05 and 0.2.

15. The process of claim 13, wherein k₄ has at least three progressively increasing values corresponding to low, moderate and high intensity physical exercise.

16. The process of claim 13, wherein k₄ is equal to about 0.05 for low intensity physical exercise, about 0.07 for moderate intensity physical exercise and about 0.18 for high intensity physical exercise.

17. The process of claim 13, wherein the addition of activity Points to the basic Points total occurs when determined activity Points exceed a predetermined threshold of 1 to 3 activity Points per day.

18. The process of claim 12 wherein k₁ is about 50, k₂ to about 12 and k₃ is about 5.